Written in Stone
by Heather L Gallagher
Summary: Catherine Graham went to Scotland for a long overdue holiday. She expected to meet interesting characters and have a few adventures. She never counted on an overbearing Scot thwarting her plans and joining her on the most unbelievable journey of her life.
1. Chapter 1

I had a stalker. The absolute ridiculousness of the situation was enough to make me fight back a fit of frustrated laughter. Of all the possible dangers traveling in a foreign country implied, picking up an albeit fairly attractive, but no less nutty stalker had never crossed my mind. My friends were still working very hard to become embarrassingly drunk at the pub where I had left them and I stalked towards them, resisting the urge to look over my shoulder every few steps I took. Dropping my bag into an empty seat I plopped down in the chair I had abandoned earlier and looked at the two women I had let convince me to take a long overdue holiday.

"You seem to have picked up an admirer Cat," Rachael said with a grin better suited to the Cheshire cat himself.

With an irritated grimace I turned in my seat to see the man who had introduced himself as Marcus standing on the other side of the pub, watching me over the rim of the mug he held. "No, that would be my stalker," I said, tersely. "I think our day trip to Craigh na Dun is going to have to wait a day or two." I turned back to face my friends to find them both grinning at me, obviously quite amused with my predicament.

"Oh come on," Tamara said, rolling her eyes. "We've been planning this for months, and you were the one who wanted to check out smaller stone circles, remember? No tourists traps on our holiday."

"Besides," Rachael piped up, "he doesn't look dangerous." She winked at the man across the room. "He's actually kind of cute."

"For fuck sake," I said, at wits end. "That jackass insists that we can't go to Craigh na Dun. Says it's much too dangerous, that sometimes people that visit the circle and never come back or some nonsense."

"Oh…so you two had a nice chat then?" Tam took another drink of her Guinness to stifle a giggle.

"Hardly. I was in one of the shops and he overheard me asking about it. He hasn't left me alone since." I paused to order a Guinness for myself although I would have preferred whiskey. "He informed me that it's entirely too dangerous and that he can't allow us to go alone."

The girls exchanged a significant glance and shrugged simultaneously. "So, let him tag along. What could it hurt?" Rachael waved to him to get his attention and jerked her head to signal him to join us.

"Couldn't hurt? Haven't you been listening to me? The man is crazy," I hissed. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose as Rachel sat my bag aside and offered the empty seat next to me to Marcus. "Fanfuckingtastic," I muttered.

"Catherine," he said in acknowledgement as he sat down beside me. "Nice to see you again so soon."

I didn't miss the wry smile he flashed me. "I'd say it's a pleasant surprise, but since you followed me here, it's neither pleasant, nor a surprise."

Rachael slid her empty mug aside and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, Cat's naturally surly. I'm Rachael and this is Tamara." She offered her hand.

Marcus took her hand, "Ach, she's a cautious woman, nothing wrong with that. And a pleasure it is to meet three such lovely ladies." I rolled my eyes as he squeezed Rachael's hand and brought it to his lips. "I'm Marcus."

Tam beamed at him, a ridiculous look on her face. I accepted my Guinness gratefully and took several large gulps to control myself. "So Cat tells us you've offered to tag along with us to Craigh na Dun."

"Well, that's not entirely true, lass." He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and I glared at him. "I was telling Catherine that I didn't think it a good idea to be visiting the stone circles, especially this time of year. It's not safe."

I lit a cigarette and gave both of my friends a pointed look. Neither of them seemed the least bit concerned, however. In fact, they only seemed to lean closer to the odd Scot. What in the hell was it going to take to get them to realize this man was stark raving mad? Probably nothing less than him murdering me. I started to say something but he had their rapt attention as he started to speak again.

"Ye see, travelers that go to the stones have a tendency to disappear. Locals as well. There have been quite a few people gone missing on that hill."

"What do they think happened to them?" Rachael asked, resting her elbows on the table and propping her chin on one upturned palm.

"Oh, faeries of course," I said irritably. "For fuck sake, this is ridiculous." I waved to the bar maid and ordered another Guinness and two whiskies. "Obviously they were kidnapped or murdered. Which happens every day, everywhere."

Marcus turned to me and frowned. "Catherine, there are dozens of other places the three of ye could go. I could show ye myself. If ye want to see a stone circle so bad, then go and see Stone Henge."

I thanked the bar maid and paid up our tab before turning back to my friends and my stalker. "Well, Marcus," I said before tossing back one of the whiskies. "That would be a very generous offer if your help were wanted the least little bit." I ignored Tam's indignant exclamation over my rudeness. "Your assistance however, is not needed or wanted, nor is your opinion."

"Really Cat," Rachael said, clearly exasperated. "There's no need to be so rude. It wouldn't hurt anything for him to tag along if he's that worried about it." She turned to Marcus, "As for changing our plans, I'm afraid unless your have a very good friend that could lock her up, that's not going to happen."

"Rachael," I said shortly, feeling my cheeks grow warm as my temper flared even hotter. "I did not travel over 5,000 miles to have some nutty Scot follow us around and play nursemaid." I banged my empty glass down onto the table. "If he's not crazy then he's trying to scam us, or worse. What in the hell is wrong with you two? Just because some random stranger pretends to be concerned with out safety he couldn't possibly be dangerous, right?"

I stood so quickly that my chair nearly toppled over. I ignored Marcus as he reached out to grab it and snatched up my bag. "Right, well you two stay here and have some more drinks with your new friend, I'm going back to my room." I tossed some cash on the table and spun on my heel, fuming as I headed for the door. I was halfway to the little hotel we were staying at when my temper had cooled enough for me to notice the rapidly approaching footsteps behind me.

I side stepped and reached out to grab my would be attacker's arm as he reached for me and twisted it behind his arm, using his own momentum to shove him against the side of the building I'd been passing. I wrenched his arm even harder and pressed my shoulder into his back. "Back off asshole!"

I was congratulating myself too early, however. The next thing I knew he had managed to shove me back and spin around, taking hold of my wrist and forcing my arm behind my back and pinning me against the wall, effectively trapping my arm between my body and the building. "Cat, it's only me."

"You have got to be kidding me," I hissed. "All the more reason to lay you out in the street." I dropped my bag and swung my other hand but he seized it as well. "Get away from me you psycho!" I tried to knee him but he divined my intent and shoved his knee between mine and pressed himself so tightly against me I could barely breath, much less move.

"Christ woman, ye call me a bloody psycho and I've done naught but try and warn ye away from trouble. Ye're the one that canno' keep a civil tongue in yer head and attacked me." He frowned down at me. "Why are ye so hateful?" I laughed at him, squirming to try and free my hands. "Why am I so mean? Call me crazy, but I don't like strangers butting into my business and manhandling me." I stomped on his toes although our close proximity made it fairly ineffective. "Let me go or I'm going to scream."

"Not until ye agree to stay away from the stones," he insisted stubbornly.

I looked up at the sound of voices coming down the street and opened my mouth to call out but he apparently had figured out by then that I wasn't joking around. He ducked his head and slanted his mouth over mine to silence me. I was so infuriated that I barely registered the laughter and ribald comments of the small group that passed us. I made a sound of protest and tried to turn my face away from his so I could scream but he released my hands then, wrapping one arm tightly around my waist and crushing me even more tightly against him and cupping the back of my head with his other hand.

Hands free at last, I pounded on his shoulders for a few moments, and then shoved against him with all of my strength, biting his lower lip for good measure. He released me so suddenly that I stumbled back against the side of the building. "Who in the hell do you think you are?" I demanded hotly, trying to catch my breath.

"If ye won't listen to reason, at least don't drag yer friends in harms way as well," he scowled at me disapprovingly. "It's clear enough that it's you who's so determined to see the stones. Go alone."

"Right, go alone so that no one's around to see you come along and kidnap me or murder me," he snatched my bag up off the pavement.

He drew back as though I'd slapped him, a faint red tint creeping up his neck. "I have never abused a woman. Ye don't even know me, who are you to make such assumptions?" A muscle in his jaw twitched as he ground his teeth.

I stared at him for a moment, what I'm sure was an incredulous smile quirking my lips. "Who am I to say such things?" I laughed. "You can't be serious. You just mauled me in the street." I slung my bag over my shoulder and jabbed my finger in his chest. "You just stay the hell away from me." He looked ready to throttle me on the spot but kept his mouth shut and took a jerky step back, nodding his head once in acquiescence. I thought I heard him mutter something in Gaelic under his breath as he spun on his heel and stalked off in the opposite direction.

I awoke just before sunrise the next morning, still very irritated from the night before and nursing a slight headache from indulging in too much drink and not actually getting drunk. I took two aspirin and checked my cell phone. Tam had sent me a text telling me to message she and Rachael when I was ready to leave for the stones. I frowned at the phone and shut it off, tossing it aside on the bed. To hell with them. They could stay in town and rub elbows with Marcus for all I cared.

After emerging from the shower a short time later I discovered that my friends had made time before going to the pub the night before to sneak into my room and steal my clothes and leave in their place one damn item. Gritting my teeth I removed the dress from my suitcase. Damn them. It was a deep green, made of a heavy linen, ankle length with long sleeves. How in the hell was I going to go hiking in this? I glared at the dress, refusing to admire the embroidery embellishing the front. Well I sure as hell wasn't going to call them, I was making this trip alone. I remembered the old man in the shop the night before telling me that the stones weren't that far off the road. With another curse I braided my damp hair and dressed quickly, slipping on the matching flat ballet style slippers they had left in place of my other shoes.

I considered taking the rental car out of spite but decided against it. I took a cab instead, deciding that the extra expense was worth the opportunity to enjoy the ride. I double checked my bag, making sure my camera was charged and ready. I dug around in the depths of my shoulder bag, scowling into it. I had forgotten to grab my stupid phone. Shit. Oh well, it would serve them right. I started to ask the driver if he had a phone, but decided against telling the man driving me to such a remote location that I had no means of contacting anyone should I need help. As long as my stalker wasn't camped out there I should be fine. I paid the man and asked him if he would come back in two hours explaining I wasn't sure my phone would pick up a signal. He agreed readily enough and I thanked him, forcing a smile.

I watched the car pull off with a sigh of relief, thankful to be alone. As much as I enjoyed traveling, the constant presence of so many people, most of them strangers, was stifling. I tossed my bag over my shoulder and started up the hill, rubbing my arms against the chill of the early morning. I had only donned a wool cardigan over the dress, not wanting to be hampered by a heavy jacket or a coat. My feet were damp and chilled by the time I reached the top but otherwise I was quite warm. It was still too early for the morning mist to burn away completely but I had a fairly clear view of the stones from where I stood and I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth.

I pulled my Nikon from my bag and took a few shots before moving closer, stopping about 20 feet from the circle. I walked around the perimeter, keeping my distance so I could get the whole thing in each shot. I started to take a step forward when I heard a most unwelcome voice behind me. "I think that's close enough Catherine."

"You have got to be kidding me," I ground out, forcing myself to relax as my jaw started to ache. "Didn't I tell you to stay the hell away from me?" I turned around to face him, ignoring the way he took in my appearance.

"Not exactly dressed for climbing the hills now are ye?" Marcus came to a stop a few feet in front of me, crossing his arms over his chest. "What exactly is it ye're doing up here?"

I rolled my eyes, thoroughly disgusted with my would be protector. "What in the hell does it look like I'm doing?" I waved the camera before me. "What in the hell are you doing up here?"

"Well, this may not be America, but the last time I checked, it was a free country. I'm out enjoying this fine weather." He ignored the scathing look I gave him. "And of course I was hoping to talk ye out of getting yerself into trouble."

I resisted the urge to beat him about the head and neck with my Nikon only because I was so attached to that particular camera. "Look around genius," I said, throwing my arms out to indicate our deserted surroundings. "What kind of trouble could I possibly manage to get into out here? The only thing remotely unsafe I see is an obviously very unstable native."

"I'm not the one suffering from extreme paranoia. Ye'd made yer mind up about me as soon as I'd opened my mouth. It's a wonder ye have any friends at all."

"Piss off Scottie," I snapped at him. I started digging around in my shoulder bag. "Get lost or I'm calling the authorities."

A smug smile lit his face. "Ach, ye'll be needin this then," he took a cell phone out of his pocket and tossed it to me.

I snatched it out of the air and looked at it. I felt my cheeks get hot as blood rushed to my face. It was MY phone. "How in the hell did you get my phone? Did you break into my damn hotel room?"

Marcus rolled his eyes at my agitation. "Hardly. I ran into your friends this morning, literally. They came rushing out of the hotel room like the devil was chasing them, all in a fuss because you'd taken off by yerself without a word. I offered to track ye down for them and they sent yer phone wi' me so ye could call them. I'd say they'll be contacting the authorities if they don't hear from ye soon."

I was muttering rather uncharitable things about my stalker as I sent a terse text to Rachael asking her why in God's name she would send that nut after me. After exchanging several messages, I told Rachael I'd be back sometime that afternoon. And boy was I going to tear into the two of them. "Alright, you've tracked me down and delivered my phone. Mission accomplished, now take a hike."

"I thought I'd stick around and give ye a ride back into town," he said, slipping his thumbs into his belt loops.

"No thank you. I asked the driver to come back in a few hours and pick me back up." I turned on my heel and started towards the circle. I could hear bees buzzing somewhere nearby. I was about to walk into the circle of stones when Marcus gripped my arm and pulled me back.

"That's close enough Catherine."

I tried to pull my arm free but he tightened his grip. "Look around Marcus, no one's here but us! How dangerous can it possibly be?"

"Ye've no idea," he said. The tone of his voice made me turn to look at him. I frowned, he was tense, his gaze scanning the circle uneasily.

"What in the hell are you on about? It's just a bunch of rocks."

"No…it's much more than that. Strange things happen here, people go missing," he insisted.

"Let go of me," I said firmly, tugging again. He looked down at me, a scowl replacing his unease. He finally let go of me and then took a hesitant step into the circle of standing stones. I rolled my eyes at the broad expanse of his back. "See, there's nothing, and no one here."

I brushed passed him as the buzzing got louder, cocking my head to one side. I couldn't quite pinpoint where the sound was coming from. I moved towards the stone that had a split down the middle, as if someone had tried to cleave it in two. Marcus was close behind me and I brushed his hand away as he reached for me. The buzzing was getting louder. I was just about to touch the stone and lean into the cleft to search for the hive, it was so odd that I hadn't seen any bees flying around anywhere.

An ungodly noise rose from the stone and I jerked back, my Nikon falling to the ground along with my bag as it slipped from my shoulder. I stumbled back into Marcus, disoriented as the other stones began….screaming. My head began to pound and my chest felt tight as the air seemed to shift around me. The noise was unbearable, like the rending of metal or nails being raked over a chalk board. I thought I could feel Marcus grab a hold of me as I raised my hands to cover my ears and I squeezed my eyes shut but I couldn't be sure. I couldn't feel my body anymore, I seemed to have lost all sense of self, all sense of direction. I was in some sort of limbo. I opened my mouth to scream as the pain in my head intensified and suddenly everything was still and silent. I tried to open my eyes, to move, but I didn't seem to have control of my body and after a few moments futile struggle I succumbed to the stygian darkness that had been pulling at me and I knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Please review and let me know how I'm doing. I'll be adding more chapters asap.**

I was lost, adrift in an endless sea of shadows; no land in sight, white noise filling my head. I drew in a painful breath as sensation began to slowly return to me. I turned my head and felt something damp tickle my cheek. What in the hell had happened? I forced my eyes open, wincing at the watery sunlight that assailed my already aching head and with a groan, I rolled onto my side, bracing my palms against the spongy earth beneath me and pushed myself up. The sun had reached it's zenith which meant it was past noon now. Damn, that meant the driver had probably come and gone. Had he not even bothered to have a look around when I was nowhere in sight? How long had I been laying there? How was I going to get back to town?

A name flittered across my memory for a second and I sat up straighter, ignoring my disorientation. Marcus. He had been with me when….the stones had come alive. Where was he now? I found it hard to believe that he would just leave me after following me around for the last 24 hours insisting he was trying to keep me out of trouble. I scanned my surroundings for any sign of the man, ignoring the niggling realization that there was something not quite right with my surroundings. Everything looked different. But that would have to wait, I needed to find my would be champion. I sincerely hoped he was alive and well, otherwise it would interfere with my plans to murder him. I stumbled to my feet and raised a hand to shield my eyes as I squinted up the hill towards the stones.

Everything still seemed to be going in and out of focus occasionally but I thought I saw something midway down the hill. I trudged warily back up the hill, my stomach churning until the sight of Marcus drove all other thoughts flying from my mind like bats from a belfry. He lay sprawled facedown, arms and legs akimbo, his jeans and cable knit sweater were torn in places and had a singed look about them. He was very still, in fact, I couldn't even be sure he was breathing. "Son of a bitch," I rushed the last several feet and knelt beside him. "Marcus? Marcus!" He shook his shoulder roughly, feeling more than a little panicky. With an irritated growl I struggled with his inert form and eventually got him turned over onto his back. "Marcus, damn it, if you're dead I'm going to be really pissed. Wake up!" I slapped his face, extremely inappropriate given the state of him, and not nearly as satisfying considering the fact that he wasn't conscious, but it did seem to have some effect. He muttered something and tried to roll over.

I was so relieved by the sign of life from him that if I hadn't hated the man I would have kissed him. Given that I did hate him, I opted for jabbing him rather forcefully in the ribs and calling his name loudly right next to his ear. He jerked upright, blinking owlishly and then wincing, one large hand going to his head. Now that I knew he wasn't dead I noticed that his skin had a reddish hue, almost as if he were sunburned. I sat back as he tried to get his bearings. "Oh good, you're awake."

Marcus clutched his head in his hands and squeezed his eyes shut for several minutes. I was beginning to think he hadn't heard or noticed me when he finally spoke. "Christ my head feels like someone's tried to split it like a melon." I smirked, thinking I'd be game to try. "What happened?" he asked, pinning me with a confused blue stare.

I sighed and rolled my eyes heavenward. "Great….I was hoping you could tell ME that." He squinted at his hand, it appeared to have blisters on it. I snatched it away from his head and pulled it closer to inspect it. "Where in the hell did you get these burns? I don't have a mark on me. Just what in the hell is going on here?" I looked at him expectantly, as if by staring at him I could will him to somehow pull the answers out of thin air. He shook his head groggily and frowned at me before slowly turning back towards the stones on the hill above us.

He scrambled to his feet suddenly, swaying at first. "The stones." I stared up at him, one eyebrow raised curiously. Great, that's just what I needed, for him to crack up. As if he weren't nutty enough to begin with. He turned in a half circle, taking in our surroundings then turning back to the stones. "Something's not right. Everything is different."

"Right. Look, can we just head back to town now? You're pretty busted up, should probably see a doctor." And maybe a shrink, I added mentally. I rose beside him and dusted the damp grass from my skirt. "So I suppose I'll just go and get my things, assuming they haven't been stolen." I frowned up at the stones for a moment, reluctant to step back into the circle.

He held out his arm to stop me. "No, I'll go. Just wait here." He didn't appear to be any more eager than I was to enter the circle again, but it couldn't be helped. My passport, money, room key, cell phone and anything else important were in that bag. And of course there was my camera, if it hadn't been busted to bits when I dropped the damn thing.

I watched him stumble back up the hill, feeling a bit guilty about letting him go instead of me. He was much worse for wear than I was, but I just couldn't bring myself to go near it again. I did wander a bit further up the hill, keeping a close eye on him. He hesitated for several moments just outside the perimeter before finally moving inside and toward the cleft stone. I could hear him cursing quietly and he emerged several minutes later, looking very perplexed. "What is it?"

"There's nothing here. Not your bag, your camera, not even our tracks from earlier." He stepped back out of the circle and came towards me. "We should leave." He gripped my arm, just above the crook of my elbow and started leading me down the hill, ignoring my protests that we should have another look for my things. "You can file a report once we're back."

"And what exactly are we going to tell people? That we were jumped by some standing stones? We're alone out here, there's no one around. How can my things just be gone?" I tried to tug my arm free and go back towards the stones but he shook me a bit and forced me to keep walking.

"Ye know as much as I do. Maybe someone came along and took them after we were….I don't know." He glanced behind him. "But I think it's best we were on our way." He brought us to an abrupt halt at the bottom of the incline

Tearing my gaze away from him, my exasperation changed to panic again when I looked to the road, or rather, where the road should have been. "What the fuck?" I said, feeling woozy again. Where in the hell was the road? Had we gotten turned around? I turned back towards the hill, but I already knew the answer, beyond the other side of the hill were trees. And not the big, ancient trees that were there this morning. Spindly trees and saplings lay beyond, a young forest. My stomach churned. Where in the hell were we, what was going on?

Apparently in my panic I had turned toward Marcus. "Are you okay?" he asked and I realized that I had a fistful of his sweater in my free hand and he had an arm around me.

"Of course," I pushed away from him. "I'm fine." I wasn't of course, but he was already high strung.

"Ye don't look fine. In fact, ye look like ye're about to topple over."

I frowned at him and his sudden calm. He seemed to be taking all of this very well and it didn't sit well with me at all. "The fact that we've suddenly been transported to the twilight zone doesn't seem to have rattled your cage very much," I studied him closely through narrowed eyes. "What's going on here Marcus?"

It was his turn to frown at me. "I think I might know what's happened, but I can't be sure yet," he said carefully. "It's best you just stick close to me and let me figure this out."

I laughed at him. "Oh really? Well, why not? I mean after all, you've done bang up job of looking after me so far now haven't you?"

"You're alive aren't ye?" he snapped irritably and ran a blistered hand through his hair.

"For now," I quipped.

"Well, if ye want to stay that way then I suggest ye do as I say," he cut me off before I had a chance to say anything further. He grabbed my arm and headed off toward Inverness. "We'll want to stay as far off the road as possible."

"What road?" I demanded irritably, trying to pull my arm free of his grasp. I followed the direction he jerked his head toward and then looked back at him skeptically. "You mean that dirt path? That wasn't here before."

"Aye it was. Much, much before." His cryptic answer unsettled me.

"What in the hell are you talking about?" I dug in my heels and after he dragged me a few feet he stopped and turned to glare down at me. "I'm not going any further until you tell me what's going on."

"It's not a matter of where we are, Catherine. The question is, when are we?"

"When are we?" I managed not to laugh in his face or to burst into tears. I was in the middle of nowhere, all alone with a madman. "You're out of your damn mind."

"Ye'll see for yerself soon enough." He tugged on my arm again. "Come along, we've a long walk."

We had walked along for nearly an hour in total silence save the sounds of the animals in the young woods and the wind blowing across the moor. So far I had seen no houses, no cars. We hadn't come across another soul. I was starting to get too warm and my feet were aching. "So, do you kidnap women often?"

He came to an abrupt stop and I nearly walked into him. He didn't turn around to face me but I could see a muscle in his jaw flexing as he turned his head slightly. "I'm running out of patience with you woman. Do ye really think that your constant insults and accusations are helpful?"

"The way I see it," I said as I brushed passed him and continued on. "We wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for you following me."

"No, WE wouldn't. You'd be here all alone."

"Right, all alone in the past."

"Believe what ye will," he said, trailing off and turning back towards the direction we'd come. I saw him raise a hand to shield his eyes. "Get over that hill and get down. Now," he ordered.

I raised an eyebrow at his back. "Why?" Then I heard it. A horse was coming up the dirt road. I moved toward the road instead. "Maybe they can send help back for us."

He clamped an arm around my waist and started dragging me away from the road and toward a small hill on our left. "They're more likely to kill me and have their way with ye, keep your mouth shut."

I struggled against him, kicking my legs and sinking my nails into his arm but he wouldn't release me. "Get your hands off of me," I said, starting to raise my voice.

He clapped his free hand over my mouth, pressing so hard it made my teeth ache. I couldn't even bite him. "I said quiet ye fool." He scrambled over the hill and laid down on the cool grass, dragging me with him and practically laying on top of me. "Ye'd best hope he didn't see us," he murmured close to my ear as we peered over the rise to watch the rider's progress.

I tried to squirm my way out from under him but he would have none of it. I made an impatient noise and he finally pulled his hand away, though he remained poised to shut me up if need be. "What in the hell is wrong with you? Why would a total stranger kill you? We need to ask him for help."

"Ye've no idea how things work here," he insisted, his eyes not leaving the road as the rider galloped forward. "People are suspicious of strangers, especially foreigners."

I twisted my head to look at him. "Foreigners?"

"Would ye just be quiet and let me think?" he snapped, clearly exasperated.

With a very uncharitable comment on my lips I tossed my head to get the hair out of my face as I'd somehow or another managed to loose my hair band, I looked back towards the road. The man slowed his horse considerably and was studying the moor closely. I squinted, trying to get a better look from where we lay hidden. He seemed to be rather oddly dressed and I could see what appeared to be a rifle balanced across his thighs. Perhaps he was out hunting? I felt Marcus tense behind me and tighten his hold on my waist. I turned my head to complain and felt my eyes go wide as my gaze fell upon the barrel of a very old looking pistol only an inch or two from his temple.

"You folks appear to have run into trouble," a rough male voice observed, his accent thick.

"Aye, it would appear we have indeed." Marcus pressed his lips together briefly as he looked at me and I took that as my cue to keep my mouth shut. "My lady and I were set upon near Craigh na Dun."

"Is that so?" I craned my neck and looked up at our new 'friend'. He wasn't very tall and his bearded face and any other skin that was visible was dirty. I eyed the pistol as he stepped back and tucked it into his belt. It looked like an old flintlock pistol, I wondered if the thing would even fire. "Well, I suppose ye'll be in need of some assistance."

"That would be greatly appreciated, but I'm afraid we've no coin to offer ye. We were left wi' only the clothes on our backs."

"Come along then. We'll see ye fed and on yer way."

It wasn't until Marcus helped me to my feet that I noticed a much younger man hanging back, several fat rabbits hanging from a rope tied to his belt. Both men were dressed as strangely as the rider on the road who had apparently seen fit to move on. The younger of the two nodded briskly in Marcus's direction and glanced quickly at me and then away. I said nothing as Marcus took my arm once more and we set off after the two strangers, my mind reeling.


	3. Chapter 3

**Please review. Let me know how I'm doing folks. Chapter four will be coming in a few days.**

Marcus kept an eye on me as he stood on the other side of the little hovel and talked to our two Samaritans. I could hear very little of the conversation but they seemed to be getting on well enough. I was feeling a bit claustrophobic myself as I watched an older woman sorting through a trunk in the corner. She rose and joined the three men, thrusting some clothes in Marcus's direction. He offered her a subdued smile and thanked her before returning his gaze to me.

I opted to ignore him and our hosts for the time being, and studied the bubbling kettle to my right where it was suspended above the fire in the hearth. The woman had made quick work of the rabbits upon our arrival and set about making some sort of thick stew that smelled absolutely delicious. Or at least it did to me considering I hadn't eaten since early the evening before. I wondered how much longer it would be before we could eat and be on our way. As kind as the threesome had been thus far, their tiny hut was stifling and dark and I was eager to get to Inverness and away from Marcus.

Suddenly I realized how quiet it had gotten and I looked up, intending to try and catch Marcus's attention but I was so startled that I forgot what I'd been about to say. The small family had apparently gone outside to attend to their chores and left us alone and Marcus was stripping out of his torn clothing. "What in the hell are you doing?" I demanded, my voice annoyingly shrill to my ears. At least he'd thought to turn his back to me.

He had just pulled up a pair of snug fitting pants of some sort and turned as he grabbed a frayed cream colored shirt that had seen much better days but was at least in tact. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked, a faint red blush creeping up his neck towards his face. "I'm attempting to be less conspicuous." He pulled the shirt on and tugged it down. It was long enough but it was almost too snug across his chest and shoulders.

"Wearing that?" I raised an eyebrow as I gave him a once over. Maybe if his borrowed pants didn't look like a second skin. "Right."

"In case ye hadn't noticed, this is how people dress." He frowned at her as he picked up a wool plaid the older man who'd introduced himself as Liam had given him. I watched him drape it over his shoulders and arrange it as Liam and his son wore theirs. "And can ye not at least try to sound less…American?"

"What difference does that make?" I rose and walked over to the kettle and leaned a bit closer to sniff at the stew. My stomach was rumbling and I was getting a headache.

"Ye don't listen to a bloody word I say." He sighed and crossed the room to stand beside me in front of the hearth. "We don't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves. If ye want to stay safe then ye'll do as I say. Dinna speak unless spoken to, keep yer eyes averted when we meet strangers. I've told the Campbell's that ye're my wife."

"You what?" I took a step back and stared at him, feeling the color rush to my cheeks. "Why in the hell would you do something so ridiculous? What reason is there to lie about who we are?"

"Catherine, ye obviously still don't understand our situation. Trust me, it will be much easier for me to protect ye if people think we're marrit."

"Protect me from what? And why are you talking like that?" I backed up another step, feeling even more off balance than I had when I came to at the bottom of the hill below the stones. What was he talking about? And why had his accent suddenly changed? "Marcus," I began, feeling a fine sheen of sweat break out across my brow.

He stepped closer to me. "Calm yerself. You're safe wi' me."

I bumped into the wall as I took another step back. "In case you hadn't noticed, vague promises and half truths aren't exactly making me feel any better. And neither is you going around telling these people that we're married."

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped at the sound of the Campbell's returning. He gripped the back of my neck and leaned forward, his mouth next to my ear. "Just trust me Catherine." He pulled back so that his face was just a few inches away from mine and caught my gaze until I finally nodded tersely.

I breathed a bit easier as the Campbell's filed back in and he released me. Mrs. Campbell urged us to sit at their small table and she proceeded to serve us. I noted that she served the men first, then me, and herself last. She sat in the opposite corner, eyeing everyone dutifully, I assumed, ready to tend to anyone's needs. I kept my eyes on my bowl of stew and the chunk of hard bread that I'd been given, only looking up occasionally. Every now and then I would catch the youngest Campbell watching me from beneath his lashes and then looking guiltily away. The young man spoke very little during the meal as Marcus and Liam spoke about the weather and Inverness. I looked over at Marcus when he began to inquire about a man named James Murray. If he really believed that we'd been somehow transported back in time, then how could he possibly know anyone? I nearly choked on the sip of bitter ale I was drinking when he explained that this James was his father and he'd been away since he was a young boy. He shot me a warning look and then continued to ignore me.

Awhile later, after the table had been cleared Liam stood up and took some blankets from his wife. "Maggie's made a place for ye in the loft. It's no' quite as warm as a pallet by the hearth but ye'll have a bit more privacy. We'll pack ye a bit of food for yer journey and ye can be off first thing in the morning."

"We thank ye." Marcus shook the man's hand warmly before taking the blankets in one hand and grasping my arm with the other.

I offered a polite half smile to our hosts and let him drag me off yet again. I couldn't believe these people actually expected us to sleep in their rickety little barn with the livestock, much less that Marcus seemed to think this a perfectly acceptable accommodation. Once we were safely inside the barn I pulled away from him. "A barn? Really?"

He turned to look at me. "These people have very little and they've been verra kind to us, dinna be rude."

"Rude? I'm rude? And what did he mean 'more privacy'? We definitely don't need privacy."

He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. He looked tired and in no mood to argue. "Just get ye up to the loft so we can make our bed and get some rest."

I bit the inside of my cheek and started up the ladder, cursing as I kept stepping on my skirt. I reached the top and stood, tapping my foot impatiently as I surveyed the small loft. At least the straw was clean. I turned to face him when he reached the top. "You mean our beds, as in separate," I corrected him.

"No, I mean our bed, as in together," he said as he began to make a pallet with straw and the blankets we'd been given. "I told them we were wed, it wouldn't do for one of them to see us sleeping on opposite sides of the loft." He glanced over his shoulder at me and straightened, exasperated by my obviously mutinous expression. "I'm no' going to ravish ye woman. We'll both have our clothes on, and at any rate, we'll stay warmer if we lay together."

"We'd be warmer if we were inside in front of the fire," I said, my hands fisted at my side.

Marcus shook his head as he removed his borrowed plaid and stretched out on the blankets he'd put down and drew the wool over him. "Fine, have it yer way then. Ye're more than welcome to go knock on Liam Campbell's door and tell him that I lied to him about being yer husband. But I'd be careful if I were you, his son seemed quite taken with ye."

"You're just trying to scare me," I said and headed for the ladder.

"Well, only one way to find out."

I paused at the edge of the loft, my temper warring with my exhaustion. I could either choose the devil I knew or the one that I didn't. I hung my head and rubbed a spot just above my right eyebrow where a headache was beginning to pound. I was confused, tired, sore, and most of all, as much as I hated to admit it, I was scared. I didn't hear him come up behind me but I must have sensed that he was there, or perhaps I was too tired to register it, but suddenly his hand was on my shoulder.

"Come lay yer head Catherine. I gave ye my word that ye'd be safe wi' me and I meant it."

"I really don't like you," I informed him as I stretched out on the pallet and then rolled onto my left side.

"Fair enough," he said as he stretched out on his back beside me and drew the wool plaid up over us both.

It must have been very late when I woke, it was black as pitch and silent as a tomb except for the sound of my heart pounding frantically in my chest and the sound of breathing in my ear. I'm not sure what had disturbed me but I felt groggy and disoriented and very, very warm. It took me only a moment to dismiss my initial panic as I tried to remember where I was and who was lying next to me. Marcus was laying on his side as well, his body curled around mine, an arm tight around my waist, his hand just beneath my breasts. I could feel his breath tickling my neck as he snored softly. This was exactly the sort of thing I wanted to avoid.

I began to squirm and wiggle, trying to free myself from his vice like grip but all he did was make a muffled noise in his sleep and squeeze before sliding his arm a bit higher and cupping my left breast. I squeaked indignantly and nudged him hard with my elbow. He grunted and finally rolled over a bit, loosening his hold and resting his hand on my hip. I drew in a deep breath through my nose, trying to slow my pulse. I thought about elbowing him in the ribs one more time but I didn't want to push my luck. Squeezing my eyes shut I tried to will myself back to sleep.

It was just after sunrise the next morning when I awoke again. I lay on my right side and rubbed my cheek against the warm rough fabric of my pillow. I blinked once, twice. I didn't have a pillow, I wasn't in a bed. I lifted my head a bit and winced as I bumped Marcus's chin. He mumbled something and rubbed my back, apparently still asleep. Christ, I was practically laying on top of the man. I pushed myself up on one elbow and rubbed the sleep from my eyes and glanced down at him, startled to see his blue eyes staring back up at me.

The corner of his mouth quirked a bit and he reached up to pull a piece of straw from my hair. "Whether ye like me or no', you're a pleasant enough sight to wake up to Catherine. Did ye sleep well?"

"Not as well as you I'd imagine," I said, sitting up and taking his plaid with me.

"Hmmm, would ye like to sleep awhile longer then? It's raining already, we could wait and see if it passes." He folded his arms behind his head, obviously expecting me to lay back down.

"Actually, I think I'd rather you tell me about this James Murray person."

He quirked an eyebrow at my inquiry. "This James Murray person is my father. Weren't ye listening last night?"

"Of course I was listening. But if you insist that we're in the past, then how could your father possibly be here?"

Marcus sighed and sat up, his back cracking as he stretched his long arms over his head. "Can ye manage to sit quiet while I talk?"

"Of course," I lied.

"My father is here because I was born here." He raised a hand to stop me from saying anything. "When I was just a boy, I was traveling with my father and we camped very close to the bottom of that hill. Most people willna go near it, they believe it's a faerie hill. Are ye familiar with the old faerie tales? A traveler falls asleep on a faerie hill and wakes up hundreds of years later?" His dark blue eyes were intent as he watched me and I felt a cold chill pass up my spine.

"So we were kidnapped by faeries and dumped in the past," I said, though the sarcasm I was trying for didn't seem to reach my tone.

He frowned and shook his head. "Of course not. Faeries have nothing to do with it. I told ye, I have no idea how or why the stones work." Marcus shifted restlessly and started picking bits of straw from his clothes as he continued. "I wondered into the stones when I was just a boy. I came out of them in your time. I was frightened, confused; I ran out into the road and was struck by a car, nearly got myself killed."

I was shaking my head. "And you actually believe all of this really happened?" Now I was actually starting to feel sorry for the nut.

"Have ye no' seen enough for yerself to admit that I speak the truth? Ye have to accept it or you'll go mad."

"You're sitting here talking about faeries and time travel and you're worried about my sanity?"

"Catherine-"

"If it's as simple as all that, then why did we leave the stones? Why not just go back?"

"None of this is simple," he said, raising his voice a bit. "I've been watching those stones for years. The disappearances only happen at certain times of the year. It's too late to go back now. And even if we could make it back through, there's no way of knowing when we'd come out. We might verra well go further back."

The wind had started to howl outside the little barn and the rain was beating against the roof and walls. I was feeling numb all over except for the pounding behind my right eye. "I think I would like to lay back down after all."


	4. Chapter 4

***Please review and let me know how I'm doing. Thanks!***

We set out from the Campbell's around midday with a bundle of blankets and an extra cloak the youngest Campbell, who's name I had learned was also Liam, insisted that I take. He thrust it shyly into my arms while Mrs. Campbell watched with a disapproving frown. I could tell that it was in much better condition than the one he wore. Mimicking Marcus's accent as best I could, I tried to insist that they had been too kind already but he would have none of it. Afraid to say too much and give myself away, I finally offered a gracious smile and thanked him. Young Liam blushed furiously and turned away from me to offer Marcus a rather lethal looking knife. He smiled back at the boy and shook his hand, promising to repay them for their hospitality as soon as he was able.

I offered to carry the bundle of blankets but he refused and shoulder the bundle and the satchel of food Mrs. Campbell had packed for us. Apparently we had quite a long way to travel. "I didn't think Inverness was that far," I said shortly after we'd taken leave of our 'friends.'

He looked sheepish and a little guilty when he turned to face me. "We're no' going to Inverness."

I put my fists on my hips and cocked my head curiously, feeling my pulse quicken a bit. "What do you mean we're not going to Inverness? I don't recall you discussing any change of travel plans with me."

He cleared his throat and met my gaze, prepared to stand his ground. "Well, there's no' much point in going to Inverness now is there? We're obviously no' going to find your hotel or your friends there, and neither of us knows anyone. I think it best that we continue on, I'll take ye home with me. Ye'll be safe until I can send ye back."

"Send me back….alone?" The thought of going back into the stone circle by myself made me feel faint. I hadn't realized just how terrified I'd been until now. What would happen if I didn't make it back to where I was supposed to be, if I went further back or too far forward? And when in the hell had I actually started to believe any of this?

"Now's not the time to worry about the stones. It'll be awhile yet before going back will even be a possibility. All we need to think about now is how to keep ye safe until then."

I nodded, trying to shake the vertigo that had suddenly come upon me at the mention of the stones. "And you don't think your family will mind you bringing home a stray?"

"Ye're no' a stray, ye're my wife," he winked at me and clapped his hand on my shoulder.

"Right," I sighed. "How could I have forgotten about that?"

He laughed. "Do I make such a terrible husband?"

"That remains to be seen." I fell into step beside him and we had walked nearly another hour in silence when I finally stopped, putting a hand on his arm to stop him as well. It was the first time I had initiated any physical contact with him willingly other than poking or prodding him when he was unconscious and I could tell by the look on his face that he was surprised. "Please tell me that you're not crazy."

He threw back his head and laughed, leaving me feeling nonplussed. Finally he got himself under control and grinned down at me. "Ach, Catherine, has no one ever told ye that crazy people don't know they're crazy?" He cleared his throat and tried to force himself to be somewhat more serious when I frowned at him. "I'm not crazy. I give ye my word."

I rolled my eyes at him when that ridiculous grin lit up his face again. "That's extremely comforting." I ran a hand through my unbound hair, which was undoubtedly a terrible mess and then glanced towards the sky. Rain clouds were gathering again. "So, where exactly are we going to stay tonight? Not out in the rain I hope."

"Ah weel….I'm afraid that's a very likely possibility." He was looking sheepish again at my horrified expression.

"For fuck sakes Marcus! We're going to end up dying of pneumonia before we get anywhere near your home. How long is it going to take to get there?"

He was rubbing the back of his neck. "We certainly won't get there any faster standing here and arguing about it."

We started walking again but I wasn't about to let it go. "How long?"

"On foot? A week, give or take a day or so."

"A week? Christ!" A week of walking from sunrise to sunset and with only enough food to last us a few days. "What if we had horses?"

He frowned at me. "We don't have horses, nor any money to get one."

"We could….borrow one," I suggested. I was thinking more like stealing one, but I felt too guilty that the thought had so easily come to mind to actually put voice to the words.

He laughed again. "D'ye have any idea how much a horse costs? Or how little the folk around here have? No man in his right mind is going to loan two strangers such as ourselves a horse on my word that I'll return it posthaste." He was shaking his head at my foolishness.

"I was thinking we could wait to tell them we were borrowing it until after we returned it," I said doubtfully, picking at my nails.

I could see him looking at me from the corner of his eye. He was quiet a long time. "Are ye willing to have yer pretty neck stretched just to get there a few days faster?"

I looked up at him, my hand going unconsciously to my throat. "What are you talking about?"

"We'd be hanged. More likely I'd be hanged," there was no hint of humor when he spoke this time. "D'ye understand me Catherine?" He waited for me to nod. "In many ways, we're just as safe here as in your time, but there are many other dangers here that ye'll know nothing about. Ye could say these are simpler times but they're also hard times. The people have very little and protect it fiercely, theft isn't tolerated, especially when something is so valuable. Taking a horse from some of the folk here would be like taking an entire year's income."

I looked away from him and off to my left as we continued to walk. He had managed to make me feel like a criminal with his speech and on top of feeling guilty I was panicky again. He was right, these were hard times, and here we were right in the middle of them. How could I survive with nothing here? And how long would it be before I could go back, if I could even go back? I wanted to go home very, very badly but I wasn't even sure I could make myself walk back into that circle. And if I couldn't go back, how long would Marcus be willing to go along with this sham in order to keep me safe? It began to rain again and the weather couldn't have matched my mood more perfectly. I knew that he couldn't possibly tell my tears from the rain dripping from my lashes but he seemed to as we stopped long enough for him to take the cloak young Liam had given me from the bundle of bedding and drape it over my shoulders. I pulled the hood up over my head and started forward again without a word.

We stopped to make camp just before nightfall, fortunate enough to have come across a thick copse of trees. It had been drizzling most of the day and the skies were still threatening more rain as the invisible sun was setting behind the clouds. We moved as deeply into the thick overgrowth as we could and found a fairly dry spot. Marcus set me to gathering a pile of leaves beneath a canopy of tightly interwoven vines and branches. I took one of the blankets and spread it over the leaves while I set about building a small fire. I was surprised he was able to find any dry tender, but apparently he was full of surprises. He had asked me often throughout the day if I was hungry or tired and often suggested that we stop and rest but I had declined every time. I sat down before the small fire as it took light and he began to sift through our 'care package'. He offered me an apple but I shook my head without really bothering to give the food more than a passing glance. I wasn't hungry at all, I was just tired and feeling more and more lost the further away from the circle we traveled.

Strong fingers gripped my chin and turned my head so that I was forced to look at him. "Catherine, I know that ye're tired but ye have to eat something." I stared vacantly at him for a few moments and then finally nodded. He placed the apple in my hand and sat down, watching me eat. I threw the core aside when I had finished it only to have him hand me a chunk of hard cheese. "Here."

I shook my head. "We don't have that much food. I wasn't even that hungry."

"I can catch fish and rabbits if need be, and we're likely to come across another family that might be able to provide us with a meal. Now eat." He shoved it into my hand and scowled at me.

"I don't see you eating anything," I pointed out as I grudgingly took a bite of the salty cheese.

He held up a strip of dried meat and a small hunk of cheese. "I'll eat once you've eaten." He handed me the water skin and true to his word, sat watching me until I had eaten every last crumb of the cheese. He nodded approvingly. "There's a good lass. Ye look bone weary."

"I'm fine," I said stretching out my hands towards our small fire. "What will your family say when you return?" I asked a bit later. "Will they know you?"

He looked rather tired himself as he sat there staring into the flames. "Aye they will, if my brother at least lived to be a young man. We're twins."

"Oh," I said stupidly. I hadn't given much thought about his family until just now. I wondered what he must be feeling after having the chance to see his family again. It probably wasn't something he had considered possible. "Did you want to….I mean, are you nervous?"

He shrugged. "I suppose I am. They've thought me dead all this time and I've no way of knowing how they fare. But either way, it will be good to know."

"I hope they're well," I said, suddenly feeling very selfish for indulging in self pity all day. After all, as good as it would be for him to know how his family was doing, if it weren't for me he wouldn't be in this mess. And if he hadn't been so determined to keep me from harm, I'd be here all alone.

"I supposed you missed this very badly. It must have been hard." I rubbed my arms, trying to ward off the chill. It was fairly mild now that we were tucked away from the wind but my dress was damp.

"Aye, it was hard at first. I missed my family, I was afraid. But after a time it wasn't so bad. I grew up with a nice family." He was packing up the satchel, not looking at me.

"Will you miss there, do you think?" I was annoyed at the quiver in my voice.

"I will. There are many things and people I'll miss." He stood and hung the satchel from a branch. "Come, let's get some sleep." He offered me a hand and helped me to my feet. He frowned as he felt my sleeve, my shoulder and then my skirt. "Not too damp I suppose."

He waited for me to crawl under the canopy and get comfortable and then stretched out on his side next to me. He had removed his plaid and spread it over us and then the spare blanket as well. I was still shivering a few minutes later when he slid his arm around my waist and pulled me back against him. I didn't fight him but I was stiff as a board at first. He was very warm, though and after a few more minutes I felt myself relaxing as the shivering stopped. "Better?" I nodded mutely, my head bumping his chin. "Goodnight Catherine."

"Goodnight Marcus." I lay awake for a long time, even though I was thoroughly exhausted. I couldn't even remember the last time I had been so tired. What were Tam and Rachael doing right now, what were they thinking? Had they already contacted my family to tell them that I was missing? What about Marcus's other family? What would I tell them if I ever got back? What if I went into the stones again and still didn't get home?

It was still very dark when I woke up. Marcus had hold of my shoulders and was calling my name. I blinked a few times and felt moisture on my cheeks, I had been crying. My heart was racing, my hands trembling violently. He held my hands again his chest to still them and cupped my cheek with his free hand. "I'm alright, I'm fine," I said in a hoarse whisper.

"Ye're shaking like a leaf, ye were screaming." He ran his hands over me as if to assure himself that I really was alright and in one piece. "Were ye dreaming? About the stones?"

I nodded as his hand returned to cup my cheek. It still felt as if my heart were going to beat right out of my chest and I couldn't seem to shake a horrible sense of vertigo. It felt as though even from this distance the stones would pull me back into horrible nothingness. I was feeling close to tears again and my chest felt tight, maybe I was starting to hyperventilate.

"Whist, it's alright now. Ye're safe here with me, there's no need to think on it again." I let him pull me tight against him and I buried my face in the crook of his shoulder. "Ye'll never go near them again unless it's yer choice, lass. Ye have my word." He started stroking my hair and I could feel the tension start to fade slowly away.

I didn't remember falling asleep again but it was well past dawn when I awoke again. I stretched, feeling stiff after a night spent on the ground but I was rather warm. I realized as I sat up that in addition to my cloak I still had Marcus's plaid as well as the other blanket and he had apparently used the spare to drape over the opening of the little half canopy to hold in some warmth. I emerged from my cocoon to discover the source of the smell that had awakened me. Marcus had had a busy morning already apparently. He was crouched before the fire cooking two fish for our breakfast.

"I though you wanted to get an early start this morning?" I straightened and stretched once more, hoping that he would make no mention of my embarrassing display of emotion the night before.

"It's still early enough, and I thought ye could use the rest. Walking from sunrise to sunset, sleeping out in the open like this, it takes some getting used to." He turned back to the fire. "Looks as though it should be a fair day. Pack up our things there and we'll have our breakfast."

I shook the leaves from our blankets and folded them using the spare blanket to tie them into a neat bundle then I set about kicking around the leaves to disturb the nest we'd made. Satisfied that it no longer looked like a makeshift pallet I sat the bundle of bedding next to the satchel and water skin along with his plaid and decided to poke about and see if there might be a handy stream nearby. I assumed there must be given our morning feast and I glanced over my shoulder at Marcus but he seemed to have divined my train of thought and he inclined his head to point me in the right direction. I was delighted to be able to wash my hands and face despite how cold the water was.

When I returned to our little campsite he had stamped out our fire and covered it with dirt and damp leaves. We ate quietly and were on our way within the hour. I was feeling shy after blubbering all over him the night before but at the same time I didn't feel quite as alone now. I supposed he wasn't so bad for a nutty stalker. He was handy to have around at least.

The next few days were blissfully uneventful and we passed the time either in a comfortable silence or talking about his family. But of course, as they say, all good things must come to an end. Marcus had warned me that these were hard times and I was about to see first hand just how hard they could be.


	5. Chapter 5

I was so relieved midway through our fourth day of travel when Marcus informed me that we were no more than two days at most from his home that I could have danced a jig if my feet and legs weren't so sore. We had actually been faring rather well on our journey despite our limited supplies and the weather had remained mild. However, it looked like our luck in that department was about to come to an end. The skies were clouding up yet again and the temperature was dropping the closer it go to sunset. "I don't suppose we're anywhere near anything?" I asked, not looking forward to spending the night soaked to the skin.

"There used to be a few crofters around these parts," he said. "I suppose they might be willing to let us spend the night in a barn or shed if we had something to trade." He fingered the rope dangling from his belt where three rabbits hung limply at his side. "Or.."

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "Or?"

"There are some nooks and crannies around these parts, caves and such. We could take shelter there."

"As long as we don't have to share it with any wolves or bears," I said wryly. The further we traveled the more wild our surroundings became.

We began heading further up into the hills as the afternoon wore on. Marcus assured me that the detour wouldn't add much time to our journey and I told him I would hold him to his promise. It was growing dark and had just started raining when we finally found a shallow cave that looked like it would be sufficient for our needs and quite big enough for us to pass the night in. We had climbed up to the edge of the cave and Marcus was about to pull himself up over the edge when we heard voices.

"Whist!" he hissed at me, dropping back down beside me. "Climb back down, now."

His sense of urgency set my nerves on edge and I scrambled to do as he said. The way back down was much trickier than our way up, however and the rocks were slippery now. My foot slipped and I went tumbling back down the steep incline, trying to muffle my cry of surprise. I heard Marcus call my name as I fell in a heap of cloak, skirts, and tangled limbs at the bottom. My head was spinning but I was fairly certain that other than bumps and bruises I was otherwise unharmed. I shoved the hair out of my face and looked up to where he clung to the rocks about fifteen feet above me.

There was a shout from inside the cave and three men came rushing to the edge of the cave. One of them had spotted me and was pointing as he spoke to his companions. They were filthy and unkempt. I cringed when one of them pointed a pistol at me, but they were distracted when Marcus reached up over the edge and grabbed the man's ankle, jerking him off his feet. The pistol went off as he went down, hitting one of the other men in the shoulder. "Marcus!" I shouted, but my warning came too late. The third man had quick reflexes and he threw his dagger. I couldn't be sure where the knife had struck him, only that it had. He fell from the edge of the cave and landed several feet from me, leaves floating up around him.

He groaned and rolled on his side as I scrambled towards him on my hands and knees. He swatted my hands away and lurched to his feet. "Go woman, run. I'll be right behind ye." He shoved me forward for emphasis and I stumbled back in the direction we had come. "Faster," he growled. I could hear shouts behind us. I started running faster, trying to ignore the stitch in my side. I tripped over a root and went down hard on me right knee, landing on a rock.

I cursed as Marcus grabbed my arm and jerked me back to my feet. I started forward again but nearly fell right back down. Sharp pain shot up and down my leg. The footing was getting trickier as it started raining harder. I could hear the group of men, they were right on top of us. I stumbled back against Marcus when one of them popped out in front of me from behind a tree. He leveled the pistol at my chest.

"Fine evening for a stroll in the hills," he said and grinned at me. "Wot are the two of ye doing skulkin' about?"

Marcus grasped my wrist and thrust me behind him. "My wife and I are just passing through. We were just looking for a place to pass the night."

"Yer wife is she? A bonny lass to be sure. If ye want to keep her that way then ye'll handle over yer valuables and be on yer way." He gestured toward the satchel that hung from Marcus's shoulder.

"We have nothing of value. Just a bit of food and some blankets. We've no coin or jewelry." He handed over the satchel and the rabbits that he'd caught earlier that morning.

One of the other men grabbed a fistful of my hair and jerked me away from Marcus, digging the point of his knife into the side of my neck. "Well, if that be the case, ye won't mind us having a look just to be sure."

Marcus took a step toward us but the man with the gun drew back the hammer and I shook my head frantically. "Don't be a hero laddy, or we'll have our way with the bitch and slit her throat before I take off the back of yer head." He kicked the back of his legs, knocking him to his knees and pressed the barrel against the side of his head.

"You don't mind if we have a look d'ye lass?" the third man asked me as he stepped closer. I could smell his foul breath on my face as reached out and cupped my breasts. I spit in his face and he slapped me hard. I was seeing stars as he continued to grope me through the drenched linen dress. He bent and started running his hands up my legs. I tried to kick him but the man holding me jabbed the point of his knife harder against my neck and I could feel blood oozing down the side of my throat. I saw Marcus try to stand but he was given a swift kick for his efforts.

Once they had finished searching me they turned their attention to Marcus and did a swift and efficient job of making sure he hadn't hidden anything of value. "Weel folks, it's been a pleasure doing business with ye," the ring leader said, offering me a little bow and then striking Marcus in the back of the head. "Have yerself a fine evening' ma'am." There was a brief argument about taking me with them but in the end they decided against it. I was shoved to my knees and left there with my unconscious 'husband' in the rain as they took off.

My heart was pounding and the right side of my face was throbbing. My eye felt puffy and my lip was swollen. I crawled to where he lay and tried to look him over to determine how badly he was hurt. His head was bleeding but it was a slow, sluggish oozing. I shoved him onto his back and saw a large bloodstain on his shoulder. I tugged his shirt aside and saw that while the knife wound looked nasty enough to need stitches, the bleeding had nearly stopped. Hopefully he wouldn't die on me. I needed to get him up and moving so we didn't freeze to death out here in the rain.

"Marcus," I shook him a few times. "Marcus!" I slapped him once for good measure but it had no effect. My teeth were starting to chatter and it was full dark now. "Not exactly doing a stellar job keeping me safe while you're laying there on your back sleeping," I snapped, shoving him. "Fine, you lay there and freeze to death, I'm going to find someplace dry to spend the night." I started to push myself to my feet when he grabbed my wrist. I nearly had a heart attack.

"Just give me a minute to clear my head for fuck sakes," he grumbled, still not opening his eyes. His grip tightened briefly. "How long have I been out, did they hurt ye?"

"I'm fine." I waited for him to open his eyes, though I could barely see him in the dark. "Well actually, I'm freezing my ass off. Are you going to pull yourself together anytime soon and save the day or what?"

"Right, I don't know what I was thinking," he said as he sat up with a groan. "Which way did they go then?"

"It looked like they were headed back down out of the hills. I don't know why they'd make a show of leaving and then double back. It's not as if we pose a threat to them."

"Aye, I'd say they're off to find a new hiding place." He shoved the wet hair from his face and winced. "Good then. We'll head back to the cave."

"But what if they come back?" I asked as he slid an arm around my waist to help me limp along.

"If they come back I'll be ready for them this time."

"And just what in the hell do you think you're going to do? There are three of them, one of them has a gun."

"I know that. But by now his powder is too damp to do him any good so the gun is worthless. Why d'ye think he didn't shoot me to begin with?"

"So you're going to fight off three men?"

"Aye, if I have to. But there's no sense worrying about it now. They've no reason to come back, we have nothing of value."

"They were talking about taking me with them," I said, still feeling uneasy.

"That's not going to happen," he assured me gruffly as we finally reached the cave. We stopped and listened for awhile but could hear nothing other than the steady dripping of the rain. "Can ye climb up?"

I bent my busted knee gingerly and winced. "If it means getting out of this rain, I can manage it."

"Alright, I'll go up first and give ye a hand up." He started up the steep incline and I followed him, both of us slipping and cursing. I could tell he was having trouble pulling himself up with his wounded shoulder and wondered for a moment if we'd be spending the night in the rain after all when he finally made it over the edge. He disappeared for a few moments while I struggled further up the incline and I was just trying to push myself up over the edge, my feet scrabbling against loose rocks when he grabbed me arms just above the elbow. "What in the hell are ye doing? I was checking to make sure it was safe."

"I told you, I'm cold." I tried to use my feet to push and take some of the strain off his shoulder but I couldn't find any traction.

"Would ye quit floppin' about so I don't drop ye?" He grunted and hauled me up, nearly toppling onto his back and taking me with him in the process.

"I was trying to help." I stood up, brushing leaves and dirt from my dress. "In case you hadn't noticed, these shoes weren't exactly made for rock climbing."

He made a noncommittal noise and headed further into the cave. "Come on, they left their fire burning. Ye're teeth are chattering so loud I canny hear myself think." He put more wood onto the fire and shrugged out of his plaid. He spread it out close to the fire to dry and then came over to me, untying my cloak since my fingers were too numb and stiff to work properly. He rung out the sodden wool at the edge of the cave and spread it out as well.

"If I had three wishes I'd definitely spend one of them on a dryer." I kicked my wet shoes off and held one frozen foot close to the fire.

"I'm afraid ye'll have to settle for layin' yer wet clothes out by the fire and hopin' they're dry by morning." He was pulling his shirt off over his head as he spoke.

"What? I'm not taking my clothes off." I was indignant as I watched him spread the shirt out and I could feel the blood rush to my face.

"Suit yerself, but ye'll likely catch yer death if try and sleep in that wet dress." He untied the bundle of blankets and tossed one near my feet. "There, cover up with that…after ye get out of that dress." He turned his back to me.

I glared at his back. "Unbelievable," I muttered as I shrugged out of the dress. I tossed it at him once I had wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and made sure that I was as covered as I was going to be. "Ring it out while you're over there." I sat down next to the fire and stretched out my right leg, inspecting my bruised and swollen knee. That was going to slow us down. I grimaced as I prodded the ugly bruise.

Marcus returned to the fire, a blanket draped over his shoulders. He knelt beside me and inspected the right side of my face with a scowl. He brushed his fingers over the cut on my neck. "How's the knee?" He slid the blanket I'd pulled down out of his way to have a look.

"It's fine, just sore." I tugged the blanket back down before he could touch my leg. It slid off my shoulder and his eyes followed it's path.

"What's that?"

I rolled my eyes. "My bra strap, what else?"

"It'll have to go."

"Excuse me?"

"Catherine, bras haven't been invented yet. Ye'll have to get rid of it. Yer knickers too."

"No way, they stay." I wrapped the blanket more tightly around me as if he were about to tear it away.

"Don't be foolish. If someone were to see them how would ye explain yerself?"

"Who in the hell is going to see them?" I scooted further away from him.

"What if those men had decided to have their way with ye? They'd have seen them. What if someone were to come upon ye while you were undressing?"

"Marcus, I am not getting rid of them," I insisted firmly.

He shrugged gingerly. "Suit yerself. I'll just wait 'til ye sleep and cut them off of ye."

"What? The hell you will." I was blushing all over again.

He actually had the nerve to laugh at me. "Catherine, ye have to get rid of them. Why are you even wasting yer breath arguing with me?"

"You're not the one who will be sitting here naked," I snapped.

"I'd already be naked and a hell of a lot warmer if ye weren't such a prude." He shook his head. "Ye looked like ye were gonna have a fit when I took off my shirt."

"Well excuse the hell out of me if I'm not comfortable getting naked with a total stranger." I unfastened my bra and flung it into the fire. "There, but the 'knickers' stay on." I pulled the blanket even more tightly around my shoulders.

"Is that any way to talk to yer husband?" He stood up started to untie the laces on his borrowed pants. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Were ye going to close yer eyes or turn yer back? Or did ye plan on watching me undress?"

I felt my cheeks flush again as I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my head. "I think you're enjoying all of this entirely too much."

"Oh aye. No better way to spend yer evening than being stabbed, robbed, and soaked to the skin. Ye can look now by the way." He was sitting next to me again when I opened my eyes to glare at him.

"I don't suppose the bastards left any food laying around," I drew my uninjured knee up and rested my chin there as I stared glumly into the fire, my stomach rumbling.

"I'm afraid not. If ye can survive 'til morning I'll get us something to eat." He touched his shoulder and grimaced. "Come on then, we might as well get some sleep." He put another piece of wood on the fire and got stiffly to his feet. He looked at me curiously when I didn't budge. "What now?"

"You're naked. WE'RE naked. I can't sleep next to you like this," I shook my head for emphasis.

"Christ woman, I've been stabbed, fallen at least ten feet, been beaten about the head and neck. D'ye really think I'm in any condition to try and force myself on ye?"

"You'd better keep your hands to yourself," I warned.

He shook his head and spread out our spare blanket on the other side of the fire, furthest away from the entrance to the cave. He stretched out on his side and looked at me expectantly. Shooting him a dirty look I laid beside him. He sighed after a few moments. "We'll be warmer if we spread the blankets over the both of us." I gave him another look. "Catherine, if I were going to try anything I would have done it last night when ye weren't thinking clearly. Don't ye think?"

With an irritated growl I sat up and unwound the blanket, my back to him. I felt him press against a spot on my back over my ribs and pain shot down my back. I jerked away from him. "What in the hell are you doing?"

"Jesus, ye've a bruise bigger than my hand," he tried to touch me again and I swatted his hand away.

"Stop touching it! It hurts worse than it looks."

"Ye said you were fine," he sat up and clamped a hand on my shoulder so I couldn't get away then swept my hair aside. "And ye're bleeding."

"Well it's not like I can see my back Marcus," I shrugged his hand off. "Quit poking and prodding me." I handed him a corner of the blanket and stretched back out on my side.

I could hear him mumbling under his breath as he spread the blankets out to his satisfaction and eased back beside me. I tensed as he scooted almost close enough to touch me but he didn't come any closer. I was tempted to move further way from him but the blankets weren't that big and he was like a human furnace. The longer he laid there the warmer I was getting and as my limbs started to thaw I was growing more and more drowsy by the second. I thought I felt his arm slide around my waist as I drifted off but I was too exhausted to fight sleeps relentless pull.


	6. Chapter 6

I arched my back, pressing myself against the stranger in my dream, a delicious chill running through my body as he cupped my breast with a large, calloused hand. He trailed kisses from my shoulder up my neck and along my jaw before his lips finally found mine. I made a sound in the back of my throat as I wove my fingers through his hair and hooked my leg over his hip, encouraging him to roll me onto my back. He obliged readily and then pulled back a bit, saying my name.

My eyes snapped open and I found myself unable to see anything in the darkened cave. The fire had nearly burned out and I could barely discern the shadows meandering along the wall near the floor. I wasn't laying on my back, I was actually laying on my side. Marcus was behind me, his arm around my waist and his hand splayed across my bare stomach. His breath tickled my neck as he snored quietly away. I was stiff and my left hip was beginning to ache from lying there on the stone floor. I nudged him in the ribs with my elbow hoping he would release me but instead he muttered something in his sleep and pulled me back against his chest. I opened my mouth to speak but I felt something hard brush my bottom as his hand slid up my stomach to cup my breast. All I managed was a startled gasp. My pulse, which had only just begun to slow was racing yet again. He made no further movement, though and I began to relax once more. He was sleeping, of course he had no idea what he was doing.

I was too nervous to go back to sleep but I must have dozed off and on. The next thing I knew Marcus was hovering over me, the back of his hand pressed to my cheek. "What are you doing?" I turned my head to get away from him but he wouldn't be denied.

"Be still Catherine. Christ, ye're burning up," he said, his wry tone giving me a better idea of his expression than the dark cave. He threw back the blankets and marched to where our clothes lay strewn around the fire that was now only a bed of glowing embers. He dressed quickly and then added more wood to the fire, stirring and prodding it until it took light again.

"What are you doing?" I had sat up and drawn my knees up beneath my chin and pulled the blanket tight around me.

"Out, to set traps. With any luck a few of them will have caught something by morning." He didn't bother to look back at me.

"But, what if-"

"I won't be far," he cut me off. "Go back to sleep, keep quiet." And with that he slipped out of the cave and left me to my own devices.

I glared after him, trying to ignore the unease I felt at being left alone. I muttered something uncomplimentary as I got stiffly to my feet and went to check my clothes. My shoes were dry at least, and the skirt of my dress was only damp in places. The bodice and sleeves were still fairly wet so I rearranged the garment and then checked my cloak. The material closest to the fire was only damp but the farthest side was still sodden. I flipped it around and then went to the other side of the fire sitting down and closing my eyes as the warmth from the fire began to seep into my chilled joints.

My whole body ached from head to toe, especially my back across my ribs. I hoped I hadn't cracked any of them, though I suspected as long as I could still breath easily enough and nothing was broken I shouldn't complain. Marcus was in fact, once again, much worse for wear than I was and he hadn't made a single complaint. I scowled as I thought of him, then winced and gingerly touched the bruised side of my face. If only I would wake up to find that this entire fiasco had been nothing more than some hellish nightmare. I wasn't that lucky, though.

I woke with a start awhile later to find Marcus kneeling beside me, a hand on my shoulder. "Catherine, get back to the pallet, are ye trying to catch yerself on fire?"

I blinked up at him several times as he frowned down at me. It took me several seconds to comprehend what he was saying. I didn't remember lying down at all, but obviously I had. Or perhaps I had drifted off and slumped over while I'd sat there waiting for him to return. "What time is it? How long were you gone?"

"Not long. Now go on, get back under the covers. It's cold, it's raining again." I could see steam rising from his wet clothes. He would never get them dry at this rate. "If it keeps this up we may be here for another day."

I shook my head as he helped me to my feet. "Why would we stay here another day? It's not so cold during the day." And I really wanted to get to some semblance of civilization as soon as possible.

"Because ye're getting sick, Catherine. When I came in yer teeth were chattering even though ye were practically laying in the fire. I can't drag ye through the rain with ye feverish. A fever is a dangerous thing here."

I felt fear begin to take hold in the pit of my stomach. I didn't feel sick, although my body ached terribly. But I had attributed my soreness to my fall and the rough treatment of the thieves we'd run across. And even if I were getting sick, feverish, I'd been vaccinated after all. I was in good health. Surely I wouldn't be as prone to the maladies the people of this time so often succumbed to. "Marcus, we both grew up in a different time. We've had vaccinations, our immune systems are stronger than the people here. We're strong, healthy, we're not malnourished."

He gripped my arm and led me over to the pallet. "Aye well, despite yer opinion of me, I gave ye my word to keep ye safe. I'll no take any chances."

"I…" I started to tell him that I hadn't meant to be so condescending. I pushed my hair back from my shoulders, suddenly feeling much too warm. I scrubbed my hands over my face and realized that the hair at my temples was damp with perspiration. Perhaps I was feverish after all. "I overreacted before. I was…still overexcited after our run in with those men." I couldn't see his face, the light of the fire behind him cast his features in deep shadows. "I don't exactly go around getting naked with people I've known for less than a week so I'm a little on edge."

"And ye think I do?" He turned away and put a bit more wood on the fire and then began to strip off his wet clothes once more.

I averted my eyes, though my initial impulse had been to watch him. I shook my head at my own foolishness. "No, of course not. That's not what I meant. It's just that you seem much more…comfortable with this situation than I am."

I felt a breeze as he lowered himself to the ground and arranged the blankets over himself. "Dinnae fash yerself. Just get some rest, ye look exhausted."

"Right." I burrowed beneath the rough blankets, shivering despite the fact that I'd moved our pallet as close to the fire as could be safely managed. After a few minutes he rolled toward me and drew me back against him. I tensed for a moment and then rolled over to face him, tucking my head under his chin as he began rubbing my back. The shivering finally subsided and I grew drowsy again. "You're not so bad after all," I murmured, though I didn't catch his reply as I drifted back off.

When I awoke in the morning I felt like hell. I struggled with the layers of blankets and cloaks until I could sit up and stare blearily at the fire. Surprisingly, I was quite warm, which was a godsend given how horribly stiff and achy I was. Marcus was sitting back on his haunches, turning something over the fire. I took a tentative sniff and promptly sneezed. He glanced up, startled.

"It lives I see," he said wryly. He motioned to the foot of our makeshift pallet with an inclination of his head. "Your dress is dry, and it looks as though your fever's broken."

"Oh," I murmured, feeling a little disoriented and still embarrassed over having slept naked with him the night before. I winced as I reached for my dress, sharp pain lancing up my back. I struggled with it for a moment, finally getting my arms in but not quite able to lift them high enough to slide it over my head.

"Wait," he said, rising from where he stooped in front of the fire. He crossed the cave and moved behind me. "Here, stand up." He hooked his hands under my arms and helped me to my feet and then pulled the dress down over my head. "Ye're a bit worse for wear."

I hobbled over to the fire and stretched out my hands to soak up some of the heat. "You think?" I frowned at him, even though it hurt my face to do so.

"I think we'll stay here another night, give ye a day to mend up a bit." He sliced off a few slabs of meat from the carcass he'd been cooking and handed them to me. "Eat up."

I did as I was told, though I wasn't hungry. I wanted very much to find some soft place to curl up, but there was no such place to be found in our current accommodations. "I don't see why we need to stay here, it might be slow going but any progress is better than none." I shook my head, turning down more rabbit.

"Aye, we could maybe make it a piece, and then we'd be stuck wherever we were forced to stop for at least an extra day. Ye're in no condition to be traveling on foot, ye're wobbling where ye stand and pale as death."

I rolled my eyes despite the ache in my head. "And you think laying here on a rocks is gonna fix me right up do you?"

He shook his head, the corners of his lips twitching, though he didn't smile. "I've been out all morning gathering up a few things to make ye more comfortable, it'll do for a time." He moved to a pile of pine boughs he'd gathered and spread out on one side of the fire to dry. He gathered up our ratty blankets and moved them aside to spread out the supple branches, turning them this way and that so they formed a springy cushion, then he spread the blankets out again. He turned back to face me and spread his hands with a flourish. "Not exactly a feather bed but I think ye'll find it a bit more comfortable."

"Oh," I said again, feeling a bit bitchy after he'd gone to such trouble. I noticed too, that he had gathered up more wood, bringing in the driest he could find and sitting it close so the fire to dry it out. "Yes, I suppose that'll do."

"Go on then, get ye back to bed. I'm going to see if I can find a crofters hut and get us some supplies." He helped me ease back onto the pallet and to my relief it was much softer. "Just keep quiet and ye should be fine."

I could feel my pulse picking up at the thought of being left alone. I was annoyed with myself, I'd never been the helpless sort but I was in a strange place, a strange time and I was injured. "Do you think that's a good idea?" I avoided looking him in the eye. "I mean, you're pretty banged up yourself. Don't you think you should be getting some rest too?"

He said nothing for several minutes and then he knelt down next to me. "Are ye scared to be alone then? D'ye want me to stay here with ye?"

I spared him a hasty glance out of the corner of my eye. "I just think you need some rest as well, that's all."

"Catherine," he said, waiting for me to look at him. I did so reluctantly. "If ye don't want to be alone, all ye need do is ask me to stay."

I felt my cheeks grow warm and I looked down again, focusing on my hands. "Stay with me….please?"

"I should tell ye to toughen up," he said mildly, his mouth twitching with a half smile as my head snapped up, "cause we need more supplies badly and ye may not be able to travel even by tomorrow. But I know that must've been hard for ye, so I'll stay."

"Of course I'll be fine by tomorrow," I said haughtily. "What do you take me for?"

He laughed, a deep full bellied laugh. "I take ye for a rude, stubborn, reckless, foul tempered she devil." I'm sure he'd have kept on laughing if it weren't for my icy glare. "But ye're a woman none the less, a braw one, but still a woman. Ye took quite a tumble, it'd be no wonder if ye weren't able to leave tomorrow."

"We have to leave tomorrow," I said, embarrassed by the way my voice wavered. "We have to get back home."

"I am back home," he said quietly.

"But Marcus, this hasn't been you home since you were just a boy. You don't belong here anymore, you have to go back with me." Oddly, I felt just as panicky about the prospect of returning back to my own time if I had to do it alone. I couldn't be sure if it was some attachment to him or it was nothing more than the idea of facing the stones again and doing so alone. Just the thought of them made my heart skip a beat and a cold sweat suddenly beaded my brow.

"Whist, there's no point in thinking on it now. I'm not sure how those stones works, but it'll be a while yet before we could try them again I think." He had sat beside me and was leaning back against the wall of the cave and he put his hands on my shoulders, urging me to lean back against his chest. I did so reluctantly at first, but my hips was sore from laying on my side all night and I couldn't stomach the thought of trying to lay on the ugly bruises over my ribs. "When I was a boy, I had a cousin whose wife was….strange. She came from some far away place, I heard them speakin of fairy hills and changelings once, of people disappearing. The more I think on it, I reckon she might be able to tell us something about that hill if she's still alive."


End file.
